UAE unveils ‘Washwasha’ at Venice Biennale

Welcome back to AL-MONITOR Dubai.

As the art world gathers in Venice for the opening of the 61st International Art Exhibition, the United Arab Emirates marks its ninth participation in the prestigious event with an exhibition exploring the UAE’s sonic history. Elsewhere, we highlight exhibitions opening in Dubai that feature rising young African artists presenting richly colored, vibrant abstract paintings; the Tatintisian Gallery that opened in February; and the opening of an Indian restaurant in Dubai serving Rajasthani cuisine.

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Happy reading,

Rebecca

P.S. Have feedback or tips on Dubai's culture scene? Send them my way at contactus@al-monitor.com.

1. Leading the week: UAE Pavilion opens at Venice Biennale

Farah Al Qasimi’s “The Curse” (2026) in Washwasha, the UAE Pavilion at the Biennale Arte 2026. (Image courtesy of National Pavilion UAE - La Biennale di Venezia. Photo by Ismail Noor of Seeing Things)

This week, the United Arab Emirates inaugurated its National Pavilion at Biennale Arte 2026. Titled Washwasha, the group exhibition is curated by Bana Kattan, curator and associate head of exhibitions at the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi Project, with assistant curator Tala Nassar. The presentation marks the UAE’s ninth participation in the prestigious international art exhibition. The pavilion presents works by six artists whose practices span generations and disciplines and who have strong, long-term ties to the UAE. These include newly commissioned works by Mays Albaik, Jawad Al Malhi, Farah Al Qasimi, Alaa Edris, Lamya Gargash and Taus Makhacheva.

“All six artists have strong ties to the UAE, whether through birth, long-term residence, education or sustained professional engagement,” Kattan told Al-Monitor. “Their practices have developed within, alongside or in dialogue with the UAE’s evolving cultural ecosystem. In fact, this connection extends to the curatorial team and publication contributors as well.”

The exhibition is rooted in the UAE’s sonic history and includes an activation honoring veteran broadcaster Salem Obaid Alaleeli, founder of Ajman Radio in 1961, as well as a program titled “Voice of the Country.” Washwasha is an onomatopoeic Arabic word meaning “whispering.” The works use sound as a starting point to explore the intangible, reflecting intergenerational and interdisciplinary approaches that engage with migration, technology, oral histories and the relationship between language, body and identity. 

“Many artists practicing today engage with layered, transnational experiences that resist being contained within a single identity or geography,” Kattan said. “Rather than trying to resolve that tension, we see it as something to highlight. The pavilion becomes a site where the UAE's diverse and interconnected artist community can be brought to the global stage.”

Date: May 9 - Nov. 22

Location: UAE Pavilion, Arsenale, Venice, Italy

Find more information here.

2. Word on the street: Jodhpur Bar and Kitchen

A view of the lavish interior of the newly opened Jodhpur Bar and Kitchen in Dubai. (Photo courtesy of Jodhpur Bar and Kitchen)

One cuisine that is easy to find in Dubai is Indian. While there may be a surplus of Indian restaurants, newcomers are always welcome — especially when they introduce new specialties and dining experiences, as in the case of Jodhpur Bar and Kitchen, which opened at the end of April. The restaurant serves dishes from Rajasthan, the northwestern Indian state known for its more richly spiced vegetarian and meat-based cuisine and bold flavors.

Highlights include ghewar chaat, served in a crisp Rajasthani honeycomb shell with whipped yoghurt, dahi vada crumble, chutneys and a tamarind-fruit mix; the Barmeri Badam Aur Khajoor Kebabs, made with almond and date; and the Nimbu Jhinga, pan-grilled tiger prawns marinated with lemon pickle. For mains, there is the Sindhi Mutton, a slow-cooked aromatic curry with tender mutton on the bone, and Jodhpur At Its Best, a platter of traditional Marwari staples including papad ki sabzi, sweet churma and crispy bhindi (okra).

Location: Hyatt Place Dubai Jumeirah, Dubai

Find more information here.

3. Dubai diary

Tunji Adeniyi-Jones. Blue Fragments (detail), 2026. Oil on canvas. 153.67 × 101.6 cm. (Photo courtesy of the artist, photography by JSP Art Photography)

• ‘In Abstracto, In Concreto’ at Efie Gallery

A group show of emerging young artists with roots in Africa or the African diaspora opens soon at Efie Gallery in Dubai. Titled “In Abstracto, In Concreto” and curated by Brice Arsène Yonkeu, the exhibition features new paintings by Luke Agada, Tunji Adeniyi-Jones, Ludovic Nkoth and Naila Opiangah. Focusing on works on canvas, the show highlights contemporary practices that move between figuration and abstraction.

At its core, the exhibition explores how presence and absence are rendered visible. The works span dreamlike transitions and surreal landscapes that evoke dislocation and shifting identity.

Date: May 16 - Sept. 21

Location: Efie Gallery, Alserkal Avenue, Dubai

Find more information here. 

• White

Nestled within the charming, serene streets of the historic Al Fahidi neighborhood, XVA Gallery has long been a destination for art lovers in Dubai. It offers a tranquil courtyard cafe and a gallery that regularly hosts exhibitions.

Presently on view is “White,” the Academy of Visual Arts Sharjah’s annual faculty exhibition. Curated by professor Tor Seidel, the exhibition showcases works by artists exploring the theme of “white” across a range of media and styles.

Date: until May 21

Location: XVA Gallery, Al Fahidi Neighbourhood, Dubai

Find more information here.

• The Inaugural Exhibition

In February, the Tatintisian Gallery opened a new space in Dubai Design District (d3). The gallery, which has branches in Berlin, New York and Moscow, aims to be a crossroads for collectors, artists and cultural institutions in the Gulf, bringing together participants from the Middle East, Europe and Asia.

Its opening exhibition presents works by international artists including Ron Arad, Peter Saul and Tony Matelli, reflecting post-war experimentation, pop-inflected critique, contemporary figuration and design-led artistic practice.

Date: until May 31

Location: Building 3, Dubai Design District, Dubai

Find more information here.